USPTO Patents Application 10683766

Notice of Allowability

Application No.

10/683,766

Applicant(s)

LANDERS, ALAN EDWARD

Examiner

David L. Soricin

Art Unit

1723

The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address-
All claims being allowable, PROSECUTION ON THE MERITS IS (OR REMAINS) CLOSED in this application. If not included
herewith (or previously mailed), a Notice of Allowance (PTOL-85) or other appropriate communication will be mailed in due course. THIS
NOTICE OF ALLOWABILITY IS NOT A GRANT OF PATENT RIGHTS. This application is subject to withdrawal from issue at the initiative
of the Office or upon petition by the applicant. See 37 CFR 1.313 and MPEP 1308.

1 . [3 This communication is responsive to 17 October 2005 .

2. S The allowed claim(s) is/are 8-14 .

3. □ Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 1 19(a)-(d) or (f).

a) □ All b) □ Some* c) □ None of the:

1 . □ Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.

2. □ Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No. .

3. □ Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this national stage application from the

International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
* Certified copies not received: .

Applicant has THREE MONTHS FROM THE "MAILING DATE" of this communication to file a reply complying with the requirements
noted below. Failure to timely comply will result in ABANDONMENT of this application.
THIS THREE-MONTH PERIOD IS NOT EXTENDABLE.

4. □ A SUBSTITUTE OATH OR DECLARATION must be submitted. Note the attached EXAMINER'S AMENDMENT or NOTICE OF

INFORMAL PATENT APPLICATION (PTO-152) which gives reason(s) why the oath or declaration is deficient.

5. □ CORRECTED DRAWINGS ( as "replacement sheets") must be submitted.

(a) □ including changes required by the Notice of Draftsperson's Patent Drawing Review ( PTO-948) attached

1 ) □ hereto or 2) □ to Paper No./Mail Date .

(b) □ including changes required by the attached Examiner's Amendment / Comment or in the Office action of

Paper No./Mail Date .

Identifying Indicia such as the application number (see 37 CFR 1.84(c)) should be written on the drawings in the front (not the back) of
each sheet. Replacement sheet(s) should be labeled as such in the header according to 37 CFR 1.121(d).

6. □ DEPOSIT OF and/or INFORMATION about the deposit of BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL must be submitted. Note the

attached Examiner's comment regarding REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEPOSIT OF BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL.

Attachment(s)

1 . M Notice of References Cited (PTO-892) 5. □ Notice of Informal Patent Application (PTO-152)

2. □ Notice of Draftperson's Patent Drawing Review (PTO-948) 6. □ Interview Summary (PTO-413),

Paper No./Mail Date .

3. □ Information Disclosure Statements (PTO-1449 or PTO/SB/08), 7. □ Examiner's Amendment/Comment

Paper No./Mail Date

4. □ Examiner's Comment Regarding Requirement for Deposit 8. S Examiner's Statement of Reasons for Allowance

of Biological Material

9. □ Other .

David L. Sorkin
Primary Examiner
Art Unit: 1723

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
PTOL-37 (Rev. 7-05)

Notice of Allowability

Part of Paper No./Mail Date 1005

Application/Control Number: 10/683,766 Page 2

Art Unit: 1723

REASONS FOR ALLOWANCE

1 . The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance: The closest
prior art references Cockroft (US 3,548,280) and Black (US 6,758,590) fail to disclose or
render obvious the step of deactivating the meter when the mechanical agitator is
activated, in combination with the remaining limitations of the independent claim.

Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later
than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably
accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled "Comments on
Statement of Reasons for Allowance."

Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
examiner should be directed to David L. Sorkin whose telephone number is 571-272-
1 148. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00 -5:30 Mon.-FrL

If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's
supervisor, Wanda L. Walker can be reached on 571-272-1 151 . The fax phone number
for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.

Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the
Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for
published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only.
For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should
you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic
Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).

Application/Control Number: 10/683,766

Page 3

Art Unit: 1723

DLS

David L. Sorkin
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1723